Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-09
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
STORIES OF MEN AND THINGS AT
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.


A New Work by Hay and Nicolay-Su
preme Court Justices-Their Dignity
Present and Past-The improvement,
Upon the Capitol-Sam Cox's Book.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, April %.
dropped into Marshal Nicolay's office a,
the supreme court this morning and looked
for a moment at his systematic arrangement,
Of the Lincoln papers Every precaution il
taken against fire, and they are cared for q.
though each leaf was made Of gold. Tn.
chests in which they were packed at the
White House on Lncoln's death are kept
here, and the most important Of the paper
are copied. All are analytically arranged
and Mr.. Nicolay can put his hand upon any
paper at any moment. These papers will bt
published after the biography Of Lincoln hal
been completed in The Century. They have
been gathered together in q separate work
edited and arranged, and this new work is to be
known as "The Works Of Abraham Lincoln
It will consist of from three to five volumes
each about the size Of the ordinary law book
and will be sold by subscription. The Cen.
fury company has contracted for the work,
and 1t will be put forth in good shape.
80
Speaking Of the supreme court, it is the
most dignified body in the make up of our
government The court room is as solemn as
church, and the gray whiskered negroes
who act as messengers would make monu-
mental funeral mutes. The stately Justices
never appear during the session without their
black gowns, and, however much they smile
of the bench. it is rarely indeed that they
grin while sitting upon it. The court opens
promptly at IL, and the retiring room where
these justices assemble few moments before
this time to put on their robes is directly
across the hall from the court room. This
hall "a the main corridor of the Capitol, and ii
is usually filed from morning until night
with q crowd going this way and that Just
before the judges cross it four of these digni-
fed colored messengers Of the supreme court
station themselves at the doors ON either side,
and when 10 o'clock arrives they stop the
crowd In the hallway aud keep the space be-
tween the doors clear until the judges go by
At - o'clock Marshal Nicolay comes out OF
the court room and crosses this hall, and
taking the hand OF Chief Justice Waite leads
him across 1t. The other judges follow, and
the whole forms q remarkable ceremony
which have never seen described in a news
paper. Going into the court room the judges
all stand before their chairs until the clerk
cries out in hoarse voice:
"Oyezl Oyez! Oyez! All persons havil. =
business before the honorable supreme court
OF the United States are admonished to draw
near and give their attention, for the court is
now sitting. God save the United States and
this honorable court"
Before the clerks get through with this the
judges take their seats and business immedi-
ately begins. They hold their sessions about
four hours every day, and they are about
1000 cases behind hand. Four of these judges
are now ready for retirement, and it j,
strange to lazy man to see them working
away here on the bench day after day when,
ny saying the word, they could have nothing
to do and receive the same salary for the re-
mainder of their lives Ten thousand dollars
year for nothing is pretty good pay. and
these judges have grown fat on big salaries
and little worry. There is not an unhealthy
man among them, and the weight of the nine
will average nearly 200 pounds each.
80
One OF the pages who waits upon the ST.
preme court is one of the handsomest boys
have ever seen. He attracts the attention o.
III strangers. He is about 10 years old, and
ne has face like that of one of the cherubs O.
Raphael Long, flaxen curling hair falls
down upon his forehead and curls up upon
his neck behind. HIS fresh, fair complexion
forms strange contrast to tho wrinkled
faces of these fat, old justices, and he moves
about the court room looking rather on.
of place amid SO much solemnity and dignity
Speaking Of the dignity of the supreme
court, 1t was even more stately in the past
chan it Is now, and there is q picture in the
retiring room across the hall Of Chief Justice
John Jay in a gown Of black, faced with
scarlet. At one time it was question in tn,
minds of the court as to whether such gowns
were ever worn and whether this was moi
, fanciful idea Of the artist A grandson
OF John Jay settled the fact by bringing forth
the identical gown and showing it to the
court. - When Jay was chief justice knee
breeches were de riguer, and silk stockings,
with low shoes adorned with great buckles,
were worn by all the judges. They wore
also white wigs with cues at the end, and
Chief Justice fancy it said to have been the
first Justice who gave decision in panta-
looms. 81.
The national Capitol building Is fast chang
ing, and there is an army of workmen engaged
upon the construction Of the new terrace
am told at the architects Office that til.
Improvement will he completed by June
1888, and to-day looked over the designs for
t. The improvements raise the Carito'
practically one story higher. They max,
t look larger and grander than it ever has
before, and it will continue to be by all odds
he grandest capitol building in the world
The Capitol Of the past sat rather squat upo
he ground. 1t was elevated, it is true, upor
! hill about 800 feet above Pennsylvania
venue, and this elevation NAL, r. -
'ortions show to good advantage. For the ras,
ew years the workmen have Gcen continually
aboring to add q rortico or terrace
Marble, about thirty feet wide and from to: |
o seventeen feet high, around the side farin: |
he city. Underneath this terrace have been |
uilt rooms, and the whole terrace adds about |
90 rooms to the Capitol Some of thcst
ooms are well enough lighted to be used a.
rooms, and others will Je used f. !,
he storage of papers. A grand staircase O.
Marble Is to'lead from the head Of the Penn
ylvania avenue walk up to the first fIoor of
be Capitol proper, aud this will end in
Marble portico with Cor;ntlian columns
omewhat like those on the other side of the
ouse of representatives People who have
OF seen the Capitol cannot appreciate the
L |